27/01/2016

As you already know, Lizzie and Terry's ice-skating challenge in December 2015 was a great success! If you missed it, you can enjoy the best moments of the day in the following video.

Lizzie and Terry would like to thank everyone who has sponsored or supported this wonderful Challenge. Particular thanks to Sarah Dawson (Perfect Partnerships), Cousins Entertainment, and the Aldermans (Jan, Ishbel and John) for their support, training and encouragement throughout the day.

Thank you very much for your support!

Click here to sponsor us!

11/12/2015

Yesterday 10 December, the Ice Rink at Hampton Court Palace hosted a very special challenge as our beloved friend Terry Kavanagh and I took to the ice for the first time in 60 years to skate a lap of the rink unaided to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease, as promised.

I am so glad I managed to persuade Terry, an ex-City trader who has lived with Parkinson’s for nearly 30 years, to take up this wintery challenge as part of Parkinson's Europe's new fundraising and awareness-raising initiative. The Parkinson’s 100 Challenge will see people all over Europe taking up a personal challenge to keep fit, raise awareness of the disease and support the charity – all at the same time.

Keeping active has been proven to help ease the symptoms and slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, which is often characterised by loss of balance, shaking and becoming ‘frozen’. It affects every aspect of daily life, from walking and talking to smiling and laughing. Even drinking a cup of tea can be a huge challenge.

Terry, however, is the perfect example of how fitness can delay the progression of Parkinson’s and he has run the London Marathon several times, raising many thousands of pounds for charity.

Terry and I had a couple of hours’ intensive training and practice with the help of National Ice Skating Association coach Jan Alderman before attempting to skate around the rink in front of an audience of supporters. Jan coaches at Hampton Court Palace on weekends as part of the NISA Learn to Skate programme. She was a wonderful coach, ably assisted by her children John and Ishbel, and helped us move from our first tentative steps on the ice to gliding to our ultimate challenge in just an hour or so.

We all had a very Christmassy afternoon in the wonderful setting of Hampton Court Palace. It was a fantastic day!

Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink is operated by Cousins Entertainment, headed up by Olympic Gold Medallist and Dancing on Ice judge Robin Cousins MBE.

Terry and I are encouraging other people to sign up to do their own personal challenges. Wherever you live, whatever it is you want to do – from running a marathon or simply walking around the local park – please consider raising money to help people living with Parkinson’s throughout Europe!

Thank you very much for your support!

Lizzie Graham & Terry Kavanagh

Click here to sponsor us!

04/12/2015

On 10 December, the Ice Rink at Hampton Court will host a very special challenge as Terry Kavanagh and I take to the ice for the first time in 60 years to skate a lap of the rink unaided to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease.

Terry (74) is an ex-City trader and has lived with Parkinson’s for 28 years. He was persuaded by me (68), who has worked with Parkinson's Europe (Parkinson's Europe) since it formed nearly 25 years ago, to take up this wintery challenge as part of Parkinson's Europe's new fundraising and awareness-raising initiative. Terry chose to join me because he wants to prove that anyone can take up the challenge for Parkinson’s. 

We will both get a couple of hours’ intensive training and practice with the help of Cousins Entertainment and coach Jan before attempting to skate around the rink on our own in front of an audience of supporters. Hopefully they will all get on the ice after our challenge to do a lap in honour of the achievement of the Old Dears!!!!!

If anyone asked how I feel now I'd say, well, I must be mad to have suggested this! The pressure is on to stay upright and get around the rink, and I’ll admit I’m feeling a little nervous. But I’m continually inspired by the bravery of people with Parkinson’s and the challenges they face every day, so I am determined to prove to myself and to everyone else that if you put your mind to something you can do it.  It helps being in such a beautiful setting – Hampton Court is such a historic palace. Feeling a bit historic myself, I am especially grateful to have Jan’s excellent coaching and the company of my mate Terry - I know I will do this!

Parkinson's Europe is encouraging plenty of other people to sign up to do their own personal challenges. Wherever you live, whatever it is you want to do – from running a marathon or simply walking around the local park – please consider raising money to help people living with Parkinson’s throughout Europe!

Thank you very much for your support!

Lizzie Graham & Terry Kavanagh

Click here to sponsor us!